Floss carrier



Dec. 19, 1922. I

F. W. EDWARDS. ELOSS CARRIER.

FILED APR. 16. I92!- O O O O O O O O O O O Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

FRANCIS We EDWARDS, 01E EIQMEURST, NEW YOBK.

rLoss cannrnn.

Application filed April 16, 1921. Serial No. 481,951.

T 0 all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elmhurst, in the county of Queens, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Floss Carriers; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in floss carriers,"and relates to devicesof the character specified, adapted for connection with the ordinaryform of collapsible tube used for holding tooth paste and the like.Tooth brushes even when carefully and conscientiously used do notthoroughly clean the teeth, for the bristles cannot reach food depositsaccretions and the like, between adjacent teeth. To properly clean theteeth, the floss, known as dental floss, is made use of, strands of thesame being drawn between adjacent teeth. Unless the floss is supportedwithin some form of container, from which it may be withdrawn insuitable strands for use, without handling of the skein or spool, itsoon becomes contaminated with dust and like impurities. Since the bestresults are obtained when the floss is used with dentifrice, it shouldbe always at hand, in the immediate vicinity of the paraphernalia of thetoilet.

It has been proposed to provide a container for the floss, supported bythe tooth brush or by the receptacle for the tooth cleansin material,forming in the handle of the brus or in the wall of the receptacle, achamber for the floss. This procedure is objectionable however, since aparticular form of receptacle, or'a particular form of brush handle isrequired. 1

The object'of the present invention is to provide a container for thefloss, so constructed that it may be attached directly to the pastecontainer, either at the time of insertion of the paste, at theretailers, or by the v consumer,

and from which the floss may be withdrawn in strands of the desiredlength for use, without the necessity for handling the floss that is inthe container.

In the drawings; e

Figure 1 is a front view of a collapsible tube provided with one form ofthe improved container, with parts of the container in section,

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of F i ure I,

iigure 3 is a plan view of a tube, showing another embodiment of thecontainer with a part in section,

Figure 4 is a section on the line -l-4c of F i ure 3,

Figure 5 is a front view of the bottom portion of a tube showing anotherembodiment of the invenaion with a part in section,

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6+6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5' of another embodiment of theinvention with a part in section,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 6 showing another embodimentof container,

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the container and holding clip ofFigure 8.

In the embodiment of t einvention shown in Figure 1, the tube 1 is theusual form of collapsible tube, having its bottom closed by a. clip 2,and having at its top a reduced externally threaded discharge nipple 3,with which engages a cap 4: to seal the tube. In this form of tube, thenipple 3 is of a rigid material, and is connected to the body of thetube by a tapering neck 5 also of rigid material. This is the usual formof collapsible tube and the container for the floss is in th form of acap 6 shaped to fit over that end of the tube adjacent to the nipple.The cap has a flanged opening or nipple? through which the nipple 3 ofthe tube is passed, and the flange or nipple 7 fits closely about thenipple 3 between the cap 4 and the neck 5 of the tube. Thus the closingcap 4 for the tube holds the container 6 for the floss in place, andthere is sufficient space between the tapering neck 5 and the cap forreceiving a skein of floss indicated at 8. The container '6 for thefloss has an opening 9 in its side wall, through which a strand of thefloss may be drawn, and preferably a cutting blade 10 is secured to thecap adjacent to the opening 9 for engaging the floss to cut the forinstance the container might be sold by retailers of the paste, eitherto be attached to the tube at the time of sale, or later. The flos's maybe easily renewed, if it should be exhausted before the tube is emptied,

indrieal structure, of a convenient length,

other.

'which secures the bottom of the tube 14 against leakage. This containeris provided at one end with a removable cap 15, by means of which thefloss may be inserted, and the cap has an opening through which a strandof the floss may be drawn. The improved container has a pair ,oflongitudinally extending laterally spaced gripping jaws 16 which areadapted to engage opposite sides of the clip 13 and. to be grippedthereon,"or to be used in place of a clip b-y' pressing said jaws towardeach Each jaw is toothed on its inner face, in order to prevent slippingof the container from the clip.

In Figures 5 and 6 the tube 17 carries a cylindrical container 18,having at one end a detachable cap 19 through which a strand of thefloss 20 may be drawn. The attaching means for the container is .a wire21 which extends longitudinally of the container within the same, theends passing through the cap 19 and through the opposite end of thecontainer. The ends are bent toward each other as indicated at 22, andare engaged within the clip 23 which secures the bottom of the tubeagainst leakage. The ends of the wires, as shown, are

inserted within the clip, between the same .form of tube,

and the tube wall, and by the clip, Figure 6.

In Figure 7, the tube 24 carries the container 25 which has removablecaps 26 at its ends, the said" container being tubular they are held inplace as shown more particularly in like the containers 11 and 18. Oneof the caps 26 has a central opening .through which a strand 27 of the.floss may be drawn, and each cap has a hook 28' extending longitudinallyof the container toward the opposite cap. The hooks are designed toengage the clip ini the same manner as the ends 22 of the wire in Figure5, to

hold the clip in place. In the construction shown in Figures 3 to 7inclusive, the containers are cylindrical, and they fit close 1y againstthe fold of the clip. With this as the contents are expressed, thebottom of the tube is folded to facilitate the expression of thecontents and to insure that the contents of the tube are completelyexpressed from each portion of the tube as it is collapsed. Thecontainers shown in Figures 3 to 7 inclusive, may be rolled up in thecollapsed folds of the tube. without interfering with the collapsing ofthe tube or with the withdrawal of the floss.

These containers may be attached to the tube at the place ofmanufacture, orthey may be marketed separately and attached to thetubeby the consumer. It is obvious that after the contents of the tube havebeen used, the container might beoremoved and applied to another tube.In practice ho vever, the containers will probably be discarded with theempty tubes.

In the construction of Figures 8 and 9. the container 29 is formed froma sheet of suitable material having its ends reduced to form tongues 30.The sheet is then formed into a tube, as clearly shown in Figure 9.Projecting tabs 31 are provided at each side of each tongue, by slittingthe sheet longitudinally at veach side of the tongue, the slots being inregister with the side edges of the tongue, and these tabs are lappedupon each other as shown. The tabs may be secured together, or they maybe connected by a lock joint, or in any other manner. Caps32 are placedon the ends of the tubes, and it will. be obvious that the caps wouldhold the tube in shape, fitting as they do over the ends thereof. Itwill also be obvious that the caps might fit within the ends of the tubeif desired. instead of engaging outside of the same. The clip 33 has aslot .34 extending longitudinally thereof, at the bend of the clip, andthe tongues 30 are passed through this slot, and then bent outwardlyover the edges of the clip as indicated at 35, after which the clip isclamped-in place on the collapsible tube 36. The floss container 29 isnow held in place on the tube, without any possibility of displacement.One of the caps may have an, opening for the strand of floss. In each ofthe constructions where the container is held at the bottom of thecollapsible tube that end of the container having the opening for thefloss may have a blade in connection therewith, operating in the samemanner as the 110 blade 10 of Figure 1. While the containers shown inFigures ,3 to 9 inclusive, are shown as cylindrical, itwill be obviousthat such containers might ,be polygonal in cross-section.

I claim:

1. In combination with a collapsible tube for holding tooth paste or thelike, a container for fioss orthe like having means for engaging thetube to secure the container 2 the holding clip at the bottom of acollapsible tooth pasteholding tube to connect the container to thetube.

3. A container for dental floss having an opening through which a strandof the floss maybe withdrawn for use, means in connection with thecontainer for engaging the holding clip at the bottom of a collapsibletooth paste-holding tube to connect the container to the tube, saidcontainer being cylindrical and adapted to be rolled up in the tube asit is collapsed. 4. A floss container of tubular form having an openingat one end through which a strand of the floss may be withdrawn, andprovided with means for attaching the same to the bottom holding clip ofa collapsible tooth paste holding tube diametrically of the same,whereby to permit the container to be rolled up in the tube as it iscollapsed. 5. In combination with a collapsible tube for holding toothpaste or the like, a container of tubular form having means at its endsfor engaging the bottom holding clip of the tube whereby the containerwill be held diametrically of the tube in position to be rolled uptherein when it is collapsed.

6. In combination with a collapsible tube for holding tooth paste or thelike, a container of tubular form having means at its ends for engagingthe bottom holding clip of the tube whereby the container will be helddiametrically of the tube in position to be rolled up therein when it iscollapsed, said means comprising hooks at the ends of the container forengaging within the holding clip at the bottom of the tube.

7. In combination with a collapsible tube for holding tooth paste or thelike, acontainer of tubular form having means at its ends for engagingthe bottom holding clip of the tube whereby the container will be helddiametrically of-the tube in position to be rolled up therein when it iscollapsed, said engaging means comprising caps fitting the ends of thecontainer and provided with hooks for engaging the clip.

8. A closed container adapted to hold dental floss, and having anopeningthrough which the floss may be drawn, said container having means forsecuring the same diametrically to a collapsible tooth paste holdingtube at the bottom thereof, to permit the tube when collapsed to berolled about the container.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANCIS w; EDWARDS.

